Lisa Thomaidis is Saskatchewan's sultan of the sidelines

Assistant coach of Team Canada’s national women’s basketball team, Lisa Thomaidis is a true sultan of sidelines.

Also the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s basketball head coach, Thomaidis might be from Dundas, Ontario originally, but she has bled Green and White at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport level as a coach since 1998.

Thomaidis thinks her Olympic experience will be an asset to the Dogs once she returns to the helm of the U of S team in 2013-14 following former Huskie Jill Humbert taking over the coaching reigns for an interim stint this upcoming CIS season.

“Anytime I get a chance to coach internationally it presents a whole new understanding of the game. When you get to see athletes at that level you really get the understanding of what it takes to get there. I think it’s really important to bring those things back,” said Thomaidis.

Thomaidis is one of two Saskatchewan coaches headed to London, with track and field coach Carla Nicholls being the other.

Team Canada and Thomaidis faces Russia on July 28 in London and have been placed in a tough pool alongside Australia, Russia, France, Britain and Brazil.

Quick Q&A with Lisa Thomaidis

Compared to your pro stint in Europe as a player, what’s it like coaching on the international stage?

“There’s no comparison. Playing professionally was great but it was more of a life experience. Coaching at this level is something you can’t replicate. It’s a whole different ball game.”

Can you palm a basketball?

“I used to be able to but then I broke my finger a couple times and I can’t anymore.”

If you won a medal in London, what’s the first thing you would do with it?

“Actually coaches don’t even get medals [at the Olympic Summer Games] and just the players do.”